28 July 2008

by Phil Johnson'll be speaking next month at Cape Cod Bible Church, during their "Pursuing God" conference. I normally don't publicize my travel schedule ahead of time here on the blog, but last time I was on the east coast, lots of Pyrofans showed up, and a few others e-mailed me afterward to scold me for not saying ahead of time that I was coming.

So if you're in the vicinity of Cape Cod or want to come there in mid-August for a conference, join us. My friend Lou Faustino is the host pastor, and he assures me he wouldn't mind having some Pyro-readers show up.

Incidentally, a few close friends have remarked that my blogging and preaching rarely overlap. That is by design. I don't like to preach about what I am currently blogging about (and vice versa), because that would tempt me to be obsessive about the blog. Sometimes I'll adapt a sermon for a blog series, but only after I'm well past preaching it.

Yesterday, however, I preached on Ephesians 5:3-7, which is one of those passages that forbids filthiness, foolishness, and crude jokes. I'm thinking about blogging on that subject next month or thereabouts. Get some steel-toed work boots, and get ready for a long comment-thread. When this subject has come up on the blog before, it's always been volatile.

One other thing: I'm going to start feeding my blogposts to my Facebook page. I confess I don't get Facebook's appeal. I'd rather use e-mail. But Darlene likes Facebook more than the blog. This way she can have both.

PS: Speaking of Facebook,Frank and Dan are Facebook members too. All of us (especially Frank) could use more friends. If you're on Facebook, feel free to add us as friends, but don't poke us. We get poked too much. (Pecadillo's there somewhere, too, but let's leave him alone for a few weeks.)

4 comments:

Good to see you filling the pulpit there... a fine New England summah' tradition. While you're on the cape, I'll be downeast preaching in Maine. In my case, I'm fairly certain that none of my hearers have a blog, let alone know what a blog is. And, if there's any scolding going on, it will probably take place at the church suppah' following the service over some haddaock, baked beans and, if we're really luck, a whoopie pie.

Not to be an agitator already, but I was curious if you will address the principles you raised in your sermon with Christians reading literature, watching film, etc, where such things otherwise deemed crass are displayed as a part of the context of the narrative.

Well, make sure you address the Saving Private Ryan test. You could also call this the Braveheart test as well. That being, here is an excellent film with guts and cussing; things many would claim Paul is speaking against and should be avoided by Christians, but the historical impact of the movie would had been entirely missed if any of the guts and cussing was played down.

Hence, it is understood from an literary and historical context, such things don't fall into what Paul has in mind.

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